1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a management system and a terminal apparatus when a software formed by a proper creator is used.
2. Related Background Art
In association with the recent realization of multimedia technology, the user can easily access games created by a third party and software of various kinds of information through a network line and use them.
Since software is digitized data, it can be easily processed or updated.
As mentioned above, since the user can freely use and update or upgrade software created by the proper creators, there is a problem of effectively protecting the copyright of the creators.
It is also difficult to request the payment in legal compensation for software used.
The present invention is made in consideration of the circumstances mentioned above, and it is an object of the invention to apply a management system which can reliably protect software made by a proper creator.
To accomplish the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a management system of software data in a system which can use, at a terminal, software data that is transmitted from a management center through a predetermined transmission system, wherein the management center transmits both the software data and regulation data to regulate a use style, and the terminal regulates the use of the software data on the basis of the regulation data.
To accomplish the above object, according to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a terminal apparatus for inputting both software data and regulation data through a predetermined transmission system, wherein the terminal apparatus has regulating means for regulating the use of the software data on the basis of the regulation data.
To accomplish the above object, according to still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a terminal apparatus for inputting both software data and regulation data through a predetermined transmission system, wherein the terminal apparatus has: regulating means for regulating the use the software data on the basis of the regulation data; and means for transmitting information indicating that the software data was used, through the transmitting system.
To accomplish the above objects, according to still another embodiment of the invention, the above information is preferably an execution time and/or a use style.
To accomplish the above object, according to further another embodiment of the invention, the software data is preferably data compressed on the basis of MPEG or JPEG.
To accomplish the above object, according to still another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a management system of software data in a system which can use, at a terminal, software data that is transmitted from a management center through a predetermined transmission system, wherein the terminal returns a use style of the software data to the management center, and the management center charges in accordance with the returned use style.
To accomplish the above object, according to further another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a terminal apparatus using software data which is transmitted together with use regulation data from a management center through a predetermined transmission system, wherein the terminal apparatus has a control unit for controlling the operation on the basis of a program for regulation so as to allow a command corresponding to the operation that is permitted by the use regulation data to be accepted.